Telephone system



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No. 402,929. Patented'MaJy 7, 1889.

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TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

No. 402,929. Patented May 7, 1889.

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FRED A. HOLCOMB, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,929, dated May 7, 1889.

Application filed November 15,1887. Serial No. 255,242. (No model.)

. To all whom, it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, FRED A. HOLCOMB, of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invent-ed certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to telephone systems, and more particularly to recording mechanism for use therewith.

In the operation of telephone systems as heretofore commonly constructed, when one subscriber desires to converse with another subscriber he signals the central office or station and requests to be put into communication with such party, whereupon the operator at the central office connects the wires of the two circuits through the medium of a suitable switch-board and rings the bell of the party wanted. It frequently happens that the party being called fails to respond, and it is desirable to provide easy and efficient means whereby such person may be notified who has calledhim.

It is the object of my present invention to provide mechanism whereby the subscriber being called may be informed by whom he hasbeen called.

A further object is to so construct and arrange the apparatus that the operator at the central office can cause intelligible signals to be produced upon an instrument at a subscribers station, and thus record the number of the signal of the party calling.

A further object is to provide an instrument at the central station of a telephone-exchange which can be easily and quickly thrown into electrical circuit with any subscriber, and by which the operator at the central station may cause any desired number to be recorded upon the instrument at the subscribers station.

NVith these objects in view my invent-ion consists in certain novel features of construction and peculiar combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is van end elevation of the device with a portion of the frame or box removed. Fig. 2 is a side view with a side of the box detached. Fig. 3 is a detached view of the ratchet mechanism. Fig. 4 is a view of disk No. lO. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the instrument which is placed at the subscribers station.

A represents a suitable boX or frame pro. vided on the interior faces of its end pieces or plates, B B, with brackets a a, which are fasten ed to these end plates by means of screws a', or otherwise. The brackets ce a are furnished at points between their ends with perforations b, and these brackets are sc secured to the end plates, B B', that said perforations shall be inV the same horizontal plane and serve as bearings for the journals c c of a horizontal shaft, (l. The shaft C is preferably made of non-conducting material, or it may be provided with insulating-bands d, for a purpose which will be hereinafter described. The shaft C is furnished with a series of ten loosely-mounted disks, C', having their peripheries provided with toes or projections C2, to represent figures from one to ten, consecutively. In other words, the first disk of the series is formed with one toe, C2, the second with two, the third with three toes, and so on until disk No. lO is reached, which latter will be made with one abutment, X, several times as long as any one of the projections or toes upon the other disks, this disk l0 being intended to represent a cipher or number 10 when the instrument is operated as presently explained.

If the shaft C be made of metal, it is preferable that the insulatingcollars CZ be inserted between the shaft and the bearing of the disks C.

A series of spring-arms, G, are secured at one end to one of the interior faces of the containing-box A, but electrically insulated therefrom, while their free extremities, preferably bent into hook shape, are adapted to make contact with the toes on the periphery of thedisks C. Each disk C is furnished at its center with a pinion, E, which is preferably made integral with the disk and adapted to mesh with a rack-bar, F, that has a sliding movement past the pinion E, as shown in Fig. l. The rack-bars F-there being one for each disk C-are preferably contracted somewhat at their lower ends and passed through a per- IOC) foration in a plate of the containing-box A, or a bracket secured to the interior surface thereof. The upper ends of the bars F are each furnished with an arm or bar, F', that extends first at right angles to its main portion a short distance, and then upwardly, passing through a perforation in a plate, II, which extends from end to end of the frame. The upper end of each arm F' terminates in a short arm, 71 that projects at right angles to the arm F', and thus returns toward the vertical plane of the rack-bar F. This arm 7L is provided near its free extremity with a downwardly-projecting pin, `z', which is preferably furnished with a platinum point. The rack-bar F, bar or rod F', and arms h will preferably be made all in one piece, there being one for each disk 1'.` Another series of perforations, j', is made through the plate l-I, and each lined with a ring of suitable insulating material, g. The lower ends of a set of metallic bars or rods, I, are adapted to enter these perforations f and have a vertical sliding movement therein. The free upper ends of the bars I are passed through suitable holes in the top of the containing-box Aand furnished at suoli free extremities with knobs or buttons I', by which to operate them.

The rod I is furnished with a short arm, J, at a suitable point within the box, and, projecting in a direction toward the bar F', isY

provided with a platinum-pointed pin, i', which normally makes Contact with the pint', as shown in Fig. l.. In order to maintain this normal contact of the pins t' 17, I provide a coil-spring, K, that bears at its upper end against the under face of the arm J and a collar, e, upon the rod I, and preferably .rests at its lower end upon the insulating-ring g, the resilience of this spring tending to hold thc rod I elevated and. thus maintain the contact of the pins i'.

As before stated, the disks C' are loosely mounted upon the shaft C, and are so arranged that but one disk will turn at a time, the balance of the set of disks being held against rotation by the action of a series of spring-arms, L, secured at one end to the interior of the box near its bottom and bearing at their other extremities against a projection, 7s, formed upon the disk C'. If desired, this projection may be dispensed with, and the free ends of the spring-arms L may be bent to enter notches 7u" made in the peripheries of the disk, or, if preferred, both projections and notches may be used.

In order to rotate any disk desired with the shaft, each disk is provided on its face opposite to its pinion E with a pin, e, extending at right angles to said face, which pin is adapted to engage another pin, c', secured to the shaft C, when one of the disks is positively rotated. These pins c e' are so arranged relatively to each other that when one of the disks C' is rotated positively the shaft will rotate with that disk, the others being held by their spring-arms L.

All the pins on the shaft, except the one being operated upon positively by a disk, will move away from the correspon ding pins on the disks. The springs L are not in any case of sufficient strength to overcome the positive action given the disks. rIhis positive operation is given to a disk by means of the rod I and rack-barF. By pressing upon the button I' of the rod I the lower end of the latter, which is provided with an insulating-washer, fm., comes into contact with the upper end of the rack-bar F and forces it downwardly, meshing with the pinion E and causing the disk to make a half-revolution. This operation will bring the toes of the disk in position to make contact with the springarm G and cause the electric current passing through said parts to be made and broken.

The disks being thus caused to make a halfrevolution, and the toes of the disks being in position to pass beneath the make-and-break spring G, it is necessary to provide some means by which said disk may be returned to its normal position and its toes make contact with the spring in the return of the disk. To accomplish this, a volute spring, M, is encircled about one end of the shaft C, one eX- tremity of this spring being made fast to the shaft, while the opposite end is secured to an arm, M', that is fixed to the bracket a'. This spring M is wound when the disk and shaft make their first half-revolution, and said shaft and disk are returned to their normal position by the unwinding of this spring M.

It will of course be understood that suitable spacing-collars, I-I, will be placed upon the shaft C between each two disks C'.

Mounted upon the shaft C, preferably at the same end thereof as the spring M, is an escapement mechanism, N, adapted to regulate the action of the spring M when the shaft C is returning to its normal position. This escapement device maybe of any desired construction; but I prefer the arrangement shown in Fig. 8, in which O represents an escapement-wheel that is loosely mounted upon the shaft C, preferably near the spring M. A

ratchet-wheel, O', having a collar, o, is securedto the shaft C, adjacent to the wheel O, by means of set-screws adapted to pass through perforations in the collar and bear upon the shaft, as shown in Fig. 2. Pivoted to one face of the escapement-wheel C) is a dog or paWl, p, which engages the teeth of the ratchetwheel, and thus causes the wheel O to rotate wit-h shaft C, this dog or pawl being held in engagement with the teeth of the ratchetwheel by means of a spring, q, that is secured at one end to the face of the wheel O and bears at its opposite end upon said dog or pawl.

Secured to the bracket a' at diametricallyopposite sides of the escaliiement-wheel O are two arms, P P, which extend at right angles from said brackets to a point on line with the periphery of escapement-wheel O. A verge or pallet, Q, is pivoted upon the end of each arm I and adapted to engage the teethv of the IOO IIO

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wheel O. These verges or pallets are preferably provided with downwardly extending arms r r, having adjustable weights s s, by which to regulate their movement. I do not claim this arrangement of escapement to be new of itself, as I am aware that the same has already been in use; hence I do not wish to limit myself to such construction, as the same may be varied without affecting the spirit of my invention.

The device, being construct-ed as above set forth, is placed upon a table or other suitable place in the central ofiice of the telephoneexchange and provided with electrical connections in the following manner: A wire, R, attached at one end to a grounded battery of suitable strength, is attached at its opposite end to one extremity of the spring K, that encircles the rod I. The spring-arm G is electrically connected by means of a flexible cord,

i S, to a plug, S', which latter is adapted to be inserted into a switch-board and thus connect a subscriber with the instrument. The instrument being thus electrically connected to a suitable battery and to the apparatus of a subscriber upon which it is desired to record a signal, one of the buttons I is depressed by the operator. This depression causes the insulated end of the rod I to make contact with the upper end of the raek-bar F, and the latter is forced downwardly, and meshing with the pinion E rotates it and the disk C. The -shaft C will rotate with the disk C, by contact of the pins e e and cause the spring M to be wound.

It will be seen by reference to Fig. l that the rod I has sufficient play between -the pin i of arm h and the rack-bar F, so that when bar I is depressed to make contact with rackbar F the pins fi t" will separate a short distance. Now, suppose that button No. 5 has been depressed, thus causing the disk having five toes upon its periphery to make a halfrevolution. The button will now be released, the pins fi t" making contact with each other through the action of the spring K, and the disk C caused to rotate in the reverse direction by means of the spring M and assume its normal position. When the button I is pressed to cause the disk C to make its iirst half-revolution, there will be no electric current passing through the instrument, as the pins zT c" are out of contact, and hence the toes of the disks will engage the spring-arms Gr without affecting the instrument at the subscribers station. Then the button Il is released, the pins fifi" will make contact, and the current will flow from the battery through the wire R to the spring K, thence into rod or bar I. rlhe current passing from bar I iiows through the pins 'i t" and arm J into rack-bar F, and from the latter into the disk C through the pinion E, or in any other manner. As the disk C', which I have supposed to be the one containing iive toes, is rotated to assume its normal position, these toes will strike the arm Gr one after another and cause the current to he made and broken iive times, the current iiowing from disk through arm G, cord S, and switch-board to the subscriber. This making and breaking of the current at the central ofce causes the instrument at a subscribers station to be set in motion and the number to be recorded by said instrument in the form of dots upon a strip of paper. This latter-named or subscribers-instrument is preferably constructed as follows: A suitable frame is provided comprising plates A3 A3, united together at their corners by means of connecting-rods A4. An electromagnet, Q3, is fixed to one end of the connecting-bars ALL between the plates A3 A3, its cores extending in an upward direction parallel with the plates A3 A3 andito about` one-half the height of the latter. One end of the helix of this electro-magnet is connected with the ground, while the other end is connected to the line-wire. A lever, Q3, pivoted between the plates A3 A3 by means of trunnions Q4, is provided with a soft-iron armature, Q5, at its outer end to be attracted to the electro-magnet Q3 when the vlatter is energized, as presently explained. A post having a cross-bar, n3, is fixed to the plate A3 above the lever Q3, the cross-bar n3 being directly over said lever. An adj usting-screw, n.3, passes through one end of the cross-bar n3 and normally rests against the end of the lever Q', where the latter is connected to the armature Q5. This set-screw serves to regulate the amount of vibration of the armature Q5.

A screw-rod, o', passes through the crossbar n3 at the end opposite to the set-screw n3 and has a spring, o3, attached to its lower end, the other end of said spring being connected to the lever Q3 to maintain the armature in a raised position. The inner end of the lever Q3 is bentdownwardly at an obtuse angle to the main portion of the lever and provided near its free end Vwith a perforation for the reception of a pointed screw or pin, p', which is adjusted to register with the groove m3 of IOO IIO

a drum, O3, j ournaled between the plates, and

to strike the paper passing around the drum when the armature is acted upon by the electro-magnet Q3. AnA arm, S, is secured to the lever Q3, and, projecting downwardly and forwardly, has its lower extremity bent at right angles and extended .under the weighted end of a lever, K3. The lever K3 is pivoted to the end of a standard, K3, which is secured to the plate A3. One end of this lever is made heavier than the other and provided near said weighted end with an outwardly-projecting pin, k3, which is adapted to ride upon the periphery of a disk, J3, mounted on 'an arbor j ournaled between the plates A3 A3, and drop into one of the notches z3 of said disk by gravity at each half-revolution of the disk. The

lever K3 is also furnished at the opposite side of its pivot with an outwardly-projecting pin, 7c3, which, when the parts are in their normal position, serves as a stop for av detent-arm, Z3, secured to an arbor, Z3, and made to rotate therewith. Said arbor, being pivoted between the plat-es A2 A2, is provided near its opposite end with a spur-wheel, L2having an escapement-pallet, L2, arranged above it to engage it-s teeth.

A shaft, M3, is pivotedbetween the plates A2 A3 and provided at one end with a drum or barrel for the accommodation of a coiled spring, one edge of the periphery of this drum being formed with teeth to mesh with a pinion on an arbor, 122. The shaft M2 is also furnished with the usual pawl-and-ratchet mechanism to prevent the spring from accidental unwinding. The spring may be wound by means of a key applied to the free end of the shaft M2, or otherwise, as desired. The arbor F2 is further provided near its outer end with a spur-Wheel, N2, which meshes with a pinion fixed on an arbor journaled in the plates A2 A3, and this spur-Wheel meshes with a pinion, Z4, fixed on the arbor Z2. The spur-wheel N2 also meshes with a pinion fixed to an arbor, O3, j ournaled in the plates A2 A3. This arbor O3 is furnished at or near its center with a drum, O", having a central groove, m2, extending around its periphery. Another arbor, P2, is journaled in elongated slots in the plates A2 A3 and held toits place by means of springs fixed to the plates A2 As at one end, bearing at their free ends upon the arbor P2. This arbor P2 is also furnished with a drum, P1, which is adapted to bear with a yielding pressure upon the drum 03, or upon the paper which passes between the drums, and through a guide fixed to the plates A3. A reel (not shown) will be provided for this strip of paper tape, which will be similar to that used with the printing-telegraph.

The electro-magnets Q2 are energized in unison with the making and breaking of the current at the central office and record the number in the form of dots or spaces by means of the pin p striking the paper passing between the drums O4 P4. At the instant the armature Q5 is actuated by the magnet Q2 the bent arm S comes into contact with the under edge of the lever K2 and raises the same, causing the opposite end of the lever to be lowered and the detent-arm Z2 to ride out of contact with the pin k3 of the lever. This operation will set the mechanism into operation, and the number of the telephone-call of a subscriber will be recorded by the mechanism at each half-revolution of the disk j 2 when the apparatus at the central office is operated.

The above-described system is operated in the following manner:

Subscriber A, whose call I will assume is 35, signals the central office in the ordinary manner and causes a drop containing the number of his circuit to fall at the central office. The operator at the central station ascertains what party is wanted and signals such party. Should the party (B) being called fail. to respond, the plug S will be inserted into the switch-board to connect Bs circuit with the make-and-break springs G of the instrument at the central. otiice. Vhen the subscribers circuit and the signaling-instrument at the central office are thus connected, the button corresponding to disk 3 is first depressed, causing the current to be made and broken, as described, to record three dots at the subscribers station. Vhen the disk 3 has completed its operation, disk 5 is operated through it-s button I to record five dots in or at the subscribers instrument in the same manner as disk 3. Thus it will be seen that 35 is recorded in or at the instrument of the subscriber wanted, and notifies him that a subscriber whose call is 35 has called him.

With a series of ten disks arranged as above described it will be seen that any combination of figures may be produced. While the operator can cause any combination of figures to be transmitted, only one disk can be operated at a time, and thus confusion of numbers can be avoided.

Vith the use of a telephone system such as I have described much time maybe saved, as the instrument at the central oiiice can be operated very quickly and in very much less time than is ordinarily required by the operaator, in waiting for the subscriber being called to answer. IVith this system, if the subscriber does not respond to his call at once the number of the calling subscriber is produced upon the instrument of the subscriber being called, and when said latter returns to his instrument he is enabled to know who has called him.

Many slight changes might be made in the constructive details of my invention Without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting its scope. Hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact details of construction shown and described; but,

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a telephone system, the combination, with a recording-instrument at a subscribers station, of a device at the central o'liice for causing any desired number to be intelligibly recorded in or at the instrument at the subscribers station, substantially as set forth.

2. In a telephone system, the combination, with a device for recording intelligible signals at a subscribers station, of an instrument at the central office for operating said recording device to produce any desired number therein, and a battery introduced into the circuit of said instrument, substantially as set forth.

3. In a telephone system, the combination, with a device for intelligibly recording signals at a subscribers station, of an instrument at the central office provided with a shaft, a series of disks having toes mounted on said shaft, make-and-break springs with which the toes of the disk engage to make and break the current, and mechanism for operating said disks, substantially as set forth.

4t. In a telephone system, the combination,

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With an instrument for intelligibly recording signals at a subscribers station, of an instrument at the central office provided With a shaft, a series of disks having toes mounted upon this shaft, springs with which said toes engage, a 'pinion secured to each disk, rackbars to engage said pinions, and mechanism to operate said rack-bars, substantially as set forth.

5. In a telephone system, the combination, with an instrument at a subscribers station for recording intelligible signals, of a device at the central oflice having a shaft journaled therein, a series of disks loosely mounted on said shaft, each disk having a different number of toes on its periphery to represent designating-numerals from one to ten, inclusive, a disk having a Wide abutment to represent the number lO or a cipher, spring-fingers to engage said toes, and mechanism to operate the disks, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a telephone system, the combination, with an instrument at a subscribers station to intelligibly record a signal, of a device at the central office having a shaft j ournaled therein, a series of disks having toes on their 4 periphery loosely mounted upon this shaft,

a-pinion upon each disk, a pin upon each disk, a series of. pins on the shaft to engage the pins on the disks, a series of rack-bars to mesh With the pinions to rotate the disks, and

mechanism for operating said rack-bars, substantially as set forth.

7. In a telephone system, t-he combination, with an instrument at a subscribers station for intelligibly recording signals, of a device at the central office having a shaft journaled therein, a series of disks having toes on their peripheries mounted on said shaft, a pinion on each disk, a series of spring-arms with which the toes of the disks engage, a series of rack-bars to mesh With the pinions, up- Wardly-extending arms integral With said rack-bars and carrying contact-points, springsustained rods adapted to have a sliding movement and furnished with arms to make contact with an arm of the rack-bars, and a button upon the end of each sliding rod, substan- 5o tially as set forth.

8. In a telephone system, the combination, with an instrument for intelligibly recording a signal ata subscribers station, of a device at the central office having a shaft journaled therein, a'series of disks furnished withl toes mounted on this shaft, a series of springs to engage said toes, mechanism for rotating the disks, a spring secured to the shaft and to the frame-Work of the device to cause the shaft and disks to rotate, and a ratchet mechanism mounted on the shaft to regulate the action of the spring, substantially as set forth.

9. In a telephone system, the combination, with an instrument at a subscribers station for recording intelligible Signals, of a device at the central office having a shaft journaled therein, a series of disks having toes on its periphery loosely mounted on said shaft, a series of spring-arms to engage said toes to make and break the current, a pinion on each disk, a series of rack-bars to operate the disks, a series of rods to operate the rackbars in one direction, a spring on the shaft to rotate the same and the disks in the opposite direction and cause the rack-bars t0 rise, and an escapement mechanism to regulate the action of the spring, substantially at set forth.

l0; In a telephone system, the combination, with a device for intelligibly recording a signal at a subscribers station, of a device at the central office having a shaft journaled therein, a series of disks furnished with toes on their periphery mounted on said shaft, mechanism, substantially such as described, for operating said disks to rotate them, a series of spring-arms with Which the toes of the disks engage, a pin on each disk, a series of pins on the shaft to engage the pins on the disks, and spring-arms secured to the frame- Work and bearing against a projection on the disks to prevent the same from turning When not fpositively operated, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FRED A. HOLCOMB. Witnesses:

J. C. McKnn, PERCY T. Cook. 

